The Starting Spot: Top 10 Bass lakes 2025, Neko Rig Tips, and a Live Well Temp Study

The Starting Spot Daily Bass Fishing Headlines are the perfect way to start your day with some of the top bass fishing articles on the internet. It’s the quick, informative, how, where, and who you need to know. So, rub the sleep from your eyes, pour that first cup of the day, and head to your Starting Spot.

The Starting Spot: -Bassmaster magazine has been assembling their annual top 100 bass lakes list for years. This condensed article breaks down the top 10. -Elite Bass Pro Matty Wong shares tips and tactics for one of his favorite bait presentations— the Neko Rig -Yesterday, I shared a story about live well oxygen levels. Today check out this study on live well temperatures. Ya’ gotta take care of those bass! | Photo by Craig Mazurek

In today’s 7-9-25 edition of The Starting Spot:

-Bassmaster magazine has been assembling their annual top 100 bass lakes list for years. This condensed article breaks down the top 10 bucket list bass fishing destinations.

-Elite Bass Pro Matty Wong shares tips and tactics for one of his favorite bait presentations— the Neko Rig.

-Yesterday, I shared a story about live well oxygen levels. Today check out this study on live well temperatures. Ya’ gotta take care of those bass!

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Top 10 Best Bass Lakes of 2025

by Brian Sak | Andrew Canulette | Christopher Decker | Mark Hicks

According to a story on Bassmaster.com: If you’re looking for your next dream destination to chase easy bites and personal bests, look no further. Bassmaster’s 100 Best Bass Lakes rankings return for 2025, and this year’s list is packed with surprises. From legendary fisheries reclaiming their glory to emerging hot spots making a splash for the first time, this is the most comprehensive, data-driven breakdown of America’s top bass lakes you will find.

To build this ultimate bucket list of bass fishing destinations, we went far beyond the dock. Our team scoured tournament results from every major circuit over the past 12 months, analyzing weights, catch rates and consistency. We consulted with state fisheries biologists and natural resource agencies, gathering insights on stocking programs, habitat health and long-term trends. And we polled thousands of passionate anglers to get boots-on-the-ground perspective from those who know these waters best…MORE.

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How to Fish a Neko Rig Like an Elite Pro

by Bass Fishing Tips & Techniques

According to a video on the BassResource.com YouTube channel: Elite Series Pro Matty Wong breaks down one of the most effective finesse techniques for summer bass—the Neko rig. From gear setup to targeting deep brush and docks, this tutorial teaches you how to adapt the Neko rig to various summer conditions for consistent bites and big bass…MORE.

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Live Well Temperature Variations Stress Out Largemouth Bass, Study Finds

by College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
 | BYLINE: Rami Jameel

Per an article on newswise.com: If you’ve ever been on a fishing boat, you might be familiar with live wells – small water tanks, built into the boat, where live fish can be stored. In bass fishing tournaments, these live wells keep fish alive throughout the competition, so that they can be released at the end. Anglers are always looking for ways to keep fish safe and healthy in these wells, since live bass mean higher prizes and more fish spawned for next year.
Researchers at U. of I. studied the effect of live well temperature variation on largemouth bass health and recovery time during tournaments, and shared their results in the North American Journal of Fisheries Management…MORE.

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